Final Preparations

Today is it...whatever we don't get done, just simply isn't going to get done at this point. It actually is great to be at this point, you know, you have to prioritize, cut out what's not important, pare down. I know there's a bigger life lesson just in that one sentence, but honestly, today, I don't have the time to think it through - ha!

I am not only trying to get us ready for Africa, but we don't have many days after we get home, until Chase leaves for college, and the other three boys start school, so there are so many details I am trying to complete, prior to leaving (like applying for a student loan, the laptop program, a loft-system for the dorm room, changing class assignments before they all fill up, one of Chase's adorable friends last night even insisted he should call his future roommate to make sure they color-coordinate - I seriously don't think those two words have been spoken together in our house until last night, and there will be no color-coordinating, although I think it's a good idea!)

One of the responsibilities I will have while in Africa, is the establishing of a coffee house to help fund one of the children's projects that Assist has built in Uganda. We are going to establish a for-profit business to help fund the children's needs. So I'm gathering as much information as I possibly can on exactly how to establish a coffee business, and what I don't know, I figure I'll learn once I get there. Another task that will be predominantly Tim's, is the assessment of several Millenium Village Medical sites, throughout the region, that Assist is in charge of outfitting and upgrading for General Electric, in conjunction with Dr. Jeffrey Sachs and the Millenium Village Project. These are the villages that are being made famous by Bono, Angelina, Madonna, etc. The kids would LOVE to run into one of these celebrities on the off chance they are visiting this summer, wouldn't that be fun? We do have the celebrities ranked in order of who we'd like to see, but that ranking will remain private to protect the guilty (I bet you can all guess who the boys want to meet!) There's actually many more things we are going to do while there, I'm sure they'll get mentioned over the course of time, but right now, I better get busy.

We haven't packed yet. Enough said. We also haven't cleaned the house yet. Hmmm....we also have football, two basketball games, a conference call and two business meetings, prescriptions to pick up, a rental car to pick up, a dog to deliver, sandals to return, protein bars to purchase, friends to say goodbye to...and all I could think about when I woke up was the Bible reading that has been on my heart: "In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success." -Prov. 3:6 So that is what we are going to try to do. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Ciao,

Cheri